The Phantom Finds New Love
by Gwenievre1
Summary: After Christine leaves another ventures the the Phantom's caves for the most unexpected reason. Read to find out why! Warning: There are changes.


This is way after Christine chose Raoul. Some things are different. The Phantom (Erik) didn't destroy his only home. Some of the characters (Madame Giry, Carlotta) are gone along with Christine and Raoul, who moved away after their marriage.

The Phantom sat singing in his cave of a home. He was playing an old piece of his, one he had created way before Christine had come along. It was about midnight when he heard it. A voice coming from the lengthy passageway into his dungeon of black despair. It clearly wasn't trained well, shaky on the high notes, but pretty nonetheless. He grabbed his sword and got into the boat.

As he reached the stone shore the voice got nearer and nearer.

_I come only with a cure_

_ I come to help, not taunt_

_ I wish to see the Phantom_

_ To help him end his pain_

Who was it? Who dared enter to see him and his infected face? A face appeared as the stairs ran past the wall of stone. Her face was oval and beautiful with blue eyes, her brown hair wavy, the waves stronger until the last inch of her hair was curls. Her figure was slender and beautifully curved. She wore a blue lace dress with long sleeves. Slung on her left shoulder and resting on her right at her waist was a small leather purse. On her feet were a bare of white slippers that looked just like ballet slippers for beginners. On her hand was a candleholder, a yellow candle burning proudly on top.

"Who are you?" He called up, drawing his sword threateningly. The girl walked calmly down the stairs, barely acknowledging the threat he posed.

"I'm Emmeline. Emmeline Odelette." His eyes widened in shock. Her name meant universal little song. But it had to be a coincidence.

"Why are you hear? Come to laugh at my face?" Emmeline's eyes widened.

"No! I would never do that! I came to help you. I can cure your skin infection." He stepped out of the boat.

"No one wants to help me. This is a trick of some sort." He hissed, lifting his sword. Before he made another move, however, Emmeline raised a hand.

"Please. I swear upon my own life that this will cure it."

"Do you have a death wish?" The girl stiffened as if insulted.

"No. Of course not. Why do you ask?"

"Everyone knows I've murdered and everyone knows about my gruesome face. Everyone knows I'm dangerous. And yet you ignore all that and come here calmly anyways?"

"Yes, I know all that. But in every human there is also a good side. Hope never completely abandons any individual. Everyone has a hope of another chance and another restart. No one is too dark to coax back into the light, given time. So yes, I'm calm. I stand here before you with a sword threatening to kill me at any moment, and I know there is hope for you. I don't care that you're dangerous and I don't care about your past right now. I heard you singing and I could hear your goodness breaking through a crack inside of you." The Phantom was left speechless as she reached into her purse and drew out a small metal tin.

"There has got to be something wrong with you." He said. Emmeline arched an eyebrow.

"Looks like there's something wrong with the both of us. But please, tell me. What happens to be wrong with me?" She was so calm it unnerved him.

"You're standing in front of a killer and deformed person who is practically a ghost and you don't flinch, don't look or act disgusted, or become afraid despite the enormous threat you are in." She held the tin out to him.

"Either you can do it or I can. All you have to do is spread it everywhere the infection shows and it will disappear." He opened it and cried out in shock when he felt his flesh heal instantly beneath his fingertips, hair sprouting where the infection hadn't let it grow. Emmeline fished a small handheld mirror out to him. He hesitated, then took it. His face was normal.

He turned to her, sword falling to the ground.

"How in the world did you find this?" She smiled.

"I made it, actually. I used to be a nurse and I got a load of skin problem patients. I didn't actually make this and figure out it worked until a couple hours ago though."

"I heard you singing. Your voice needs work." She blushed.

"I know it does."

"I could teach you how to sing, give you voice lessons." Her eyes widened in shock.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course. You did just cure my infection. I owe you the rest of my life."

They rode off in the boat to his cave to start the lessons.


End file.
